Friday 29 March 2024
 5.7°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Fewer drink drivers detected

THE NUMBER of people detected for driving while under the influence of drink or drugs over the last 12 months has fallen by around 20 per cent.

Chief inspector Lindsay Tulloch told Thursday’s community safety and resilience meeting that 31 drivers were detected between April 2016 and March this year, which is a fall of seven from 2015/16.

The police chief said the number represented a genuine decrease as the amount of motorists being stopped was around the same as before.

However, a number of drink-driving cases dealt with by Lerwick Sheriff Court over the last 12 months had some very high readings.

Committee chairman Alastair Cooper asked whether the reduction was down to people avoiding drink before driving after the lowering of Scotland’s limit in 2014.

Tulloch said that “hopefully the message is getting through”, and added that police’s advice was not to drink at all before getting behind the wheel.

“There’s no way you can gauge how much a person can take and how that will impair them,” he said.

Cooper, however, questioned whether the issue is deep-rooted and raised the “cost to the community” drinking has on employers and the health board.

He pondered how the message could get across better in the community.

“Again you come back to the young folk,” Cooper said. “Can you get young folk educated?”

Tulloch said police could do more test purchasing, which investigates whether off licences sell alcohol to under-agers.

There was also a marked decrease in common assaults, dropping from 187 occurrences in 2015/16 to 133 in 2016/17.

Shetland south councillor and committee vice chairman Allison Duncan questioned whether this was due to less gas plant workers being stationed on the isles.

“That is certainly reflected in the figures,” Tulloch said. “There was a spike in common assaults in and around licensed premises.”

Also down were instances of threatening and abusive behaviour, breach of the peace, hate crimes and vandalism.

There were also decreases in the reporting of sexual crimes and domestic abuse incidents.

The number of people detected for speeding, however, was up by ten to 104.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.